cards to fall for
Fall is my very favorite season. It combines warm colors and textures which can beautifully translate into seasonal crafting projects. Each fall I like to send cards to all of my family and friends who are far away. It seems like a good time to let loved ones know how thankful I am to have them in my life and catch everyone up after a busy summer. And honestly I look for absolutely any reason to send out new pictures of the kids! My mailing list has become quite large, so I came up with a very simple card design that would be easy to duplicate. I grabbed three tools that work well for big assembly-style projects like this: stamps, a lettering template, and a punch. These are quick and easily allow me to make a ton of copies of each element for my cards. The lettering template can be used for any holiday or season by simply switching out different colors or papers, so this one gets a good workout!  I used each tool in a pretty straight-forward way. The pumpkin punch makes a quick seasonal embellishment, the lettering template spells out my title in assorted papers, and I created my own patterned paper by repeatedly stamping all of the leaf stamps together onto cardstock with the stamp press.
While I send the same card to most everyone on my list, there are a few people I know will truly appreciate the time and crafting put into a unique card. So what else can be done with these same tools? Let's explore ways to "think outside the box" using basic tools. I hope the following ideas will help you get the most out of your tools while getting creative with your cards or any project you tackle this fall.  1. Create an edgy border. Punches are a great way to create decorative-edged borders. Can you spot how I used the pumpkin punch in this card? I use this technique a lot with circles and hearts to create scalloped borders, but almost any shape can create interesting repetitive designs. Here I lined up a set of quickly punched pumpkins along the edge of my card base before covering up their tops with my patterned paper. 2. Create a transparent border. Transparencies add a fun element to card design by allowing a peak inside, but they also make a great unexpected border. Try adding a strip to your card's edge and give the illusion of falling leaves suspended in air. In the above card I adhered leaves I cut after stamping them onto assorted papers. Place your transparent border onto a foam or mouse pad and pierce the leaves' trails for a subtle detail.
3. Add some bling. My life changed the day I discovered Glitter Glaze by Li'l Davis Designs. Now I find almost every project is in need of a little sparkle. Before cutting out my leaves for my border above, I brushed on a quick stroke of Glitter Glaze and allowed to dry (which doesn't take long). My simple leaves now command attention! This technique works well for duplicating cards by stamping a series of leaves and brushing them all with a stroke of glaze at the same time before cutting.  4. I love paper as much as the next person (okay, maybe I'm a *bit* obsessed). I hoard it and have even framed patterned papers in my home. But sometimes I just want to use a different material. I find felt is always good to work with because it is easy to cut without worrying about fraying edges. Felt works especially well for fall projects to mimic warm, fuzzy sweaters and blankets. But how do I use felt easily with my lettering template? I simply cut out the title once from cardstock with my Ultra ShapeXpress and pressed fabric ink through the mask onto assorted felts. I then cut out each letter leaving a small border for extra definition. Be sure to give your ink plenty of time to dry thoroughly before handling.
5. Get interactive. When planning a card, it is common to start with a basic piece of cardstock folded in half. Challenge yourself to try something different. Something interactive to engage the recipient. In this next card, I created a pop-out accordion card on the front of my fuzzy card base. Where else can you add a window, tab, or slot?
6. Woah, 3D! This technique is just plain fun. This works well for any rotund shape that is equally shaped on each side, and sometimes even when they aren't, such as this pumpkin. Since the sides aren't exactly the same, I punched two equal sets of pumpkins in each direction. Fold each in half and glue together alternating between the two sets so the sides will align. What a fun surprise waiting inside a card!
7. Mask it. I touched on masking earlier, but it deserves its own section because it is such a versatile technique that can yield such beautiful results. Here I cut out my title from cardstock using the Ultra ShapeXpress to create a mask. I used temporary adhesive to tack the mask to my selected paper. I placed all of my leaf stamps from the set onto the stamp press and repeatedly stamped the design in assorted ink colors until the letters were filled. Then simply removed the mask to reveal truly beautiful seasonal letters.  8. Sew detailed. Sewing adds instant charm and detail to any project. I'm not a seamstress by any stretch of the imagination, but I know how to feed something through the machine and press the pedal. And that's about it. I guarantee I can't sew a straight line to save my life, but luckily this adds a homey, handmade touch! To outline the masked letters I created, I drew light lines around my letters so I wouldn't have to guess where to stitch. I then erased my pencil lines after completion. 9. In Distress. Distressing adds character to a project. After sewing my layers on, I roughed up the edges with my fingernails. I then sanded my letter stickers to give them a weathered look. To create my favorite sander, I take a popsicle stick (I have a ton of them leftover from rub-on packaging) and run a little adhesive along half of one side. I then press on a small tear of sand paper and rip off the excess. It's perfect for working with small details and easily replaced!  10. What else can it be?? This is my absolute favorite thing to do with my tools. I love turning something ordinary into something unexpected. Turn your shapes sideways or upside down ... does it remind you of anything? Fold it in half. Anything now? It's fun to see what you can come up with. For this autumn tree, I used the "O" and "Y" from the lettering template for a quick trunk and leaves.
I challenge you to go find new ways to use some of your basic tools. Whether your next project is simple or full of details, put those tools to work in both unexpected ways as well those techniques you like to "fall" back on!
Supplies: Fiskars Brands: Limited Edition Pumpkin Squeeze Punch Assorted patterned patterns by Heidi Grace Designs, Ink by Steph, and Li'l Davis Designs. Twine ribbon by Kimberly Poloson. Letter stickers by Cloud 9 Design. Glitter flower and velvet sticker by Heidi Grace Designs. By Designer: Lisa Storms « Back to Paper Crafts |
